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(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 W. E. BENNETT & E. P. MERWIN. MACHINE ISR SEWINGr BUTTONS Io FABRICS.

No. 359,956. Patented Mar. 22, 1887.

muc IS (No Model.) 5 sheetssheet 2.

W. RYBE'NNEIT 8v E. P. MERWIN. MACHINE FOR SEWING BUTTONS T0 FABRICS.

No. 359,956. Patented Mar. 22, 1887.

INVENTORQ WITNESSES: 'b j M @al I t ATTORNEY 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.. W. E. BENNETT 8v E. P. MERWIN. MACHINE FOR SEWING BUTTONSTO FABRICS. No. 359,956. f vPatented Mar. 22, 1887.

(No Model.)

L/Jy? IISSS: V f 07% Mm ATTORNEY (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

W. E. BENNETT & E. I?. MERWIN. MAGHINE FOR SEWING BUTTONS T0 FABRICSl N0. 359,956. Patented Mar. 22, 1887.

WITN ESSES INVENTORS TTORN EY 5 sheets-sheet 5.

W. E. BENNETT 8u E. P. MERWIN. MACHINE POR SEWING BUTTONS T() FABRICS. No.n 359,956. Patented Mar. 22, 1887.

(No Model.)

WIYTNEEEEE: NvEN-rn zzs,

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lUNTTED STATES ATENT einen..

VALTER E. BENNETT AND EDNAB-D P. MERE/TIN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHU- SETTS, ASSIGNOBS TO THE MORLEY SE'WING MACHINE COMPANY, OF

SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR SEWING BUTTONS TO FABRICS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 359,956, dated IJarch 22, 1887.

Application filed June 12, 1835. Serial No. 168,475. (No model.) Patented in EnglandJuly 10, 18S-i, No. 9,985; in France July ill.

18S-1, No. 163,411, and in Belgium July 22, 1884, No. 65,849.

To all whom it my concern:

Be it known that we, WALTER E. BENNETT and EDWARD P Mnnwnv, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have iuvented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Sewing Buttons to Fabrics, (which invention was patented in England July 10, 1884, No. 9,985, in France July 21, 188i, No. 163,411, and in Belgium Juiy 22, 1884i, No. 65,842,)of which the following is a specification.

rlhis invention relates to improvements in machines for sewing buttons to fabrics, and is in the nature of an improvement upon the Patent No. 265,532, of October 3, 1882, to which reference may be had, the object being to improve the construction of the button turning and clamping mechanism for operating said button turning and clamping devices, the manner of hanging and controlling the action of the swinging needle-bar frame, to provide improved means for cutting the thread near the ncedle,improved stitch -formi n g mechanism to co-opcrate with that shown in said patent, whereby four threads, instead of two, as heretofore, are passed through the shank of the button, and improved clutch devices to cooperate with the needle bar frame and threadcutter, whereby said frame is brought to a stop at the proper position for said cutter to act.

In the drawings forming part of this specication, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a inachine for sewing buttons to fabrics, partly in section and with the side plates removed, embodying our improvements. Fig. 2 is a face View of the devices which operate the button turning and clamping devices. Fig. 3 is a view, partly in section, of the button-clamping devices. Fig. 4 is a section on line w m, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an end view of the clutch devices, the wheel having one side broken off. Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively side and end elevations of the front end of the machine loelow and including the presser-foot. Fig. 8 is an under side plan view of the presser-foot, showing thereon the looper devices and the shaft and devices which operate the latter. Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view. Fig. 1() is atop plan view of the end plate. Fig. 11 is an end elevation of the swinging needle-bar frame, the needle-bars, cast-off, and haelt-up, and showing sections ot' the shaft on which the needle-bar swings and their arms which actuate it, together with' the lever which regulates the motion of the needle-bar, a side view of the thread-cutter, and the improved devices on the needle-bar by which the needle-feed is adjusted. Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the swinging needle har frame and the parts thereto attached, an end view of the threadcutter being there shown. Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a portion of the lower endV of the button-trough, showing a button at the 65 lower end thereof in the position in which it is held previous to dropping it between the button-clamping devices, and also the latternamed devices beneath the end of said trough holding a button in position to let the needle pass through its shank, and illustrating the operative positions of the two needles during their iirst movements to malte the stitch whereby'the button is sewed to the fabric. Fig. 14 is a perspective view of theunder side of the presser-foot, illustrating in connection therewith the ends of the needles and the cast-off in the act of forming the improved stitch. Fig. 15 is aside elevation of that part of the button clamping and turning devices adjoining the delivery end of the buttontrough, showing a part of the button-turning shaft and the clamp-shank therein in section, and a part of the piston which operates said clamp.

In the drawings, A is the frame of the machine. B is the button-hopper, into which the buttons are placed, as in said patent. D is the button-trough, having the cap 12 on its side near its delivery end, and the button-turner 10 and actuating devices, rod 9, lever r, and cam d on sha-ft c, also substantially as shown in said patent,whereby the buttons are moved, controlled, and delivered to the improved hutton clamping and turning devices, as herein- 95 after set forth. The said button-turning mecha l e 359,956 y anism consists of a hollow shaft, 13, (see Figs. l, 3, 13, and 15,) hung in suitable bearings in frame A, and extending substantially from the rear end of the machine to the front end thereof, passing between the delivering end of the buttontrough D and the upper. side of the presser-foot 17. The rear end of the said hol low shaft 13 has a pinion, 8, thereon,with which the end of a lever, K,l engages, the latter havro ing thereon a geared segment, as shown. Le-

ver K is pivoted on the stud 7 at the rear end of themachine, and isY given a suitable vibratory motion by the engagement of its lower end with a canrgroovein the inner face ofthe 15 wheelf on the end of the shaft c, whereby shaft 13 is given a properly-timed reciprocating rotary motion. in Fig. 1,) is secured over said lever and pinion. A lever, m, is pivoted on cover K', one. zo end of which engages with a cam, G, on the side of the wheelf ,whereby lever m is given a vibratory motion.

The end of the shaft 13, which carries the button-clamping devices, is shown in section,

together/with the latter in detail in Figs. 3 and 4, and is further illustrated in Figs. 13 and 15.` The shaft 13 has inserted therein the piston` n, Whose rear end projects through the end of saidshaftopposite the end of said leverimand is by said lever given an endwise reciprocating motion, and its opposite end enters the hollow shank 21 of the button-clamp 19. The

latter-named end of piston n is screw-threaded and has anut, 22, thereon,which engages with the end of shank 2l,when thepiston is, by the motion of lever m, moved toward said shank, andthereby the button-clamp is moved from the abutment 18. SpringA 20, Fig. 3, acts to move the clamp against said abutment and 4o hold the button therebetween. Said nut 22 on the piston serves to adjust the degree of movement of the button-clamp from the abutment 18. A cap, 14, is screwed on the end of said shaft, holding said spring in place. Shaft 13 is properly slotted to allow of the n1ovement of the clamp 19 to and frorclativc to the abutment 18.

By reference to Figs. 1 and 13 it will be seen that the segment of a circle formed by` 5o the borders of the clamp 19 and abutmentlS,

when the latter are not separated to let abutton drop between them, act with their borders very near theend of the buttontrough D, and thus they prevent any buttons escaping from the latter, excepting when the clamp 19 and the abutment 18, which is secured on shaft 13, are turned by the rotation of shaft 13 to bring that portion of the said abutment in whichlis the slot under the end of trough EO D to permit the shank of the button to enter said slot, as shown in Fig. 13, and when the said clamp moves from the abutment, as below described, to let the button drop between the latter and the clamp, the latter then turns to the position shown in Fig. 13, and holds the shank of the button in a horizontal plane, whereby theeyed needle 37 is permitted to A cover, K', (shown in section pass up through said shank after passing through the fabric which lies on the pressen foot. The feed motion of the needle 37, after 7o the button is attached to the fabric, slides the latter along,and causes the button to `be drawni from between the button-clamp 19 and the abutment 18.

The operation of the shaft 13 is properly 75 timed, actuated by the connection of wheel f with the shaft o, which is geared to the main shaft I) to cause it to rotate tocarry a button` over so that the needle can enter its shank, as shown in Fig. 13, and, as described in said 8o patent, as often as one is required, and thei movement of the button-clamp is timedA to that of the shaft 13.

The needle-bar frame s is substantially the same as that shown'in said patent, and car- 85 ries, as does the latter, the needle-bars t and t, on which are secured, respectively, ,the eyed and hook needles 37 and 38, and also the castoff bar t and the back-np bar `all operating, substautially as in said patent, through 9o` their connection with the shafts?) and c. In this i construction, however, the lneedlebar frame is hung on a shaft, 3l, (see Figs. 9, 11, and 12,) in the frame of the machine, and oscillates` thereon. Said oscillating motion in one direction results from the action of cam c2 on shaft c against a roller hung in the pivoted'` block 43, which block is hung on a screw-stnd, 50, in the frame A of the machine, (see Figs.

6 and 7,) and the motion `of frame s in `the loo opposite direction results fromthe action of a cam, 39, hung on shaft b, against one arm of the elbow-lever 40, having roller 41 thereon, on shaft 3l, whose other arm extends `up by the side of frame s and has a screw, 42, therein, i

by which the contact of said arm with the frame s is regulated. By the employment of; the cani 39 and lever, 40, (withmeans for regulating the latter, as described,) instead of a spring, as heretofore, for swinging the frame im s in one direction, a positive motion ofthe l frame is obtained, which :conduces to regu-i larity of action in sewing, and the shockresulting from the action of a spring is avoided.:

A further improvement in the devices con-` x15 nected with the swinging frame is provided by the aforesaid block 43, which is` pivoted` on frame A, opposite the cam c2, and hangs be` tween the latter and the vertically-adjustable block 44, operated by the `screw-45, locatedlin 12o projecting arms on the needlebar frame s. By` moving the block44 toward and from the pivot` 50 of the block 43 the extent of the swingofi frame s is adj usted, and consequently the length of stitch desired is obtained., since the. feed of` the machine is by the needles.

The thread-cutter 18 is in the form of an elbow-lever having a thumb-piece on thc end :of its long or horizontalarm, `and its cutting-edge at the extremity of its short arm is pivoted on 13o the frame of the machine in front Vof the eyed needle 37, and in such position that when the latter swings to a rest before feeding, the side of said needle is in the line of movement of said cutting-pointof knife 18, so that when the latter is operated said cutting-point eugagesa part of the thread which needle 37 carries and cuts the latter, clearing the work from the needle, so that it may be removed from the maehine,and leaving thread enough in the needle for continuing the work. A suitable retracting-spring is attached to the knife to keep its point swung away from the needle, as shown in Fig. l1. Said cutter obviates taking up a tool for doing this work and drawing out any extra thread before beginning to sew again.

The principal sewing devices of this machine are adapted to prodneeast-itch like that made by the devices described in said patent, and described and shown in Letters Pat-ent No. 236,350, of 1881, and No. 2510i?, of 1882; but to improve said stitch and make it substantially a lock-stitch the improved loopermechanisrn, hereinafter described, is combined with the sewing devices of this machine. By the machines referred to in said patents a stitch is made in the fabric previous to sewing one through the shank ofthe button. Then thefabric is fed along,and the stitch is taken through said shank, said first stitch preventing the button-stitch from slipping; but said looper devices, by which two loop-stitches are made in the same place in thelfabriaobviate the necessity of making said tirst stitch, and the stitching is begun directly through the buttonshauk, so that no stitch is shown on the right side of the work, except that through said shank.

To provide for making two loop-stitches in the same place, as aforesaid, it is desirable to carry the thread of the `first loop or stitch across under the fabric, above the point of the hook-needle, so that the latter, when it moves upward to form the second stitch, will pass through the loop so drawn across, and therefore the looper 28 is hung'under the presserfoot 17, between the plate 30 and the latter, a pin, 29, on the looper engaging in a curved slot in plate 30, as shown in Figs. S and 13, the first ot' said figures showing different positions ofthe looper in dotted lines, and Fig. 18 showing the position of the looper after having caught the thread held by the eyed needle and so spread it as to permit the hooked needle which holds the prior loop to carry the latter over said thread and thence through the fabric.

The looper 2S is provided with a hookshaped point, as shown, to engage with said loop or thread. Its rear end is pivoted to the end of an arm, 27, and the latter is tixed on the end of a reciprocally rotating vertical shaft, y, which extends from the lower part of the machine through the hollow presser-foot bar 15 to a point just under the presser-foot, the latter having a split sleeve, 16, thereon slipping over the end of said bar, and secured ou the latter by a screw, as shown. The said vertical shaft is rotated by the lever w, (see Fig. 9,) which is pivoted to the machine at 51, and is given a vibratory motion in a horizontal plane by the cam c, a stud in said lever engaging in a suitable groove in the latter. Lever w has on its free end a geared segment. 1o, which engages with a pinion, y', on the lower end of said looper-shaft y.

The operation of the looper 2S with the sewing devices to make the improved stitch above referred to is as follows: The eyed needle 37 goes up throughathe shank of the button. The hook-needle 3S then catches the loop and draws it down through the fabric. The looper-hook then engages with the thread leading from the fabric tothe eyed needle and carries it across over the hook-needle, and the eyed needle, which has meanwhile gone down, rises again, carrying a new loop up within the first one, the new loop being seized by the hook-needle, as was the first one, and drawn down. Thus four threads are carried through the buttonshank and locked to the fabric, so that any strain on the button will not cause them to slip, and the button is much more firmly attached to the fabric `than heretofore. The combined action ofthe arm 27 on shaft y and the engagement of the pin 29 with the curved slot in the plate 3() give to the looper-point its requisite movements transversely under the y presser-foot.

The presser-foot 17 is given its requisite reciprocating motions by suitable connection with 011e et' the above-mentioned shafts of the machine, and a spring, 23, Figs. 1 and 6, located on the presser-bar 15, the latter being supported on the inner side of the end plate, A, a top plan view of which is shown in Fig. 10. Machines of this class are usually run by power instead of by a treadle, and to provide convenient means for drawing down the presser-foot, to insert and remove work by a foottreadle, so that the hands of the operator may be free, a shaft, 24, is hung across the inner face of said end plate, ou one end of which is an arm, 25, extending over and having a bearing on a block secured on the presser-bar, and on the opposite end of said shaft is a crankarm and pin, Sit and 26, a chain or othersuitable connection with the lattenproviding means for attaching a treadle thereto.

The proper operation of the needle bar frame s, whereby when the machine is stopped the needles are invariably brought to rest at a given position, thus bringing them into operative nearness to the cutter 18, and ata proper commencing-point for sewing, is secured by the combi nation with the driving-shaft b and the auxiliary shaft c of clutch devices, as hereinafter described, operating with a driving-wheel, E, in combination with a foottreadle, whereby when the latter is released the clutch between the shaft b and wheel E is disengaged and the former is stopped at a given point in its rotation.

The wheel E has aclutch-pin, a, on its inner side, and rotates freely and continuously on the end of shaft b, by any suitable belt applied thereto. A collar, 3, is secured to shaft b, adjoining the inner side of wheel E, by a pin, 4, which passes through the cellar and shaft,

IOO

IIO

' to run,) drawing lever F away from the latch and the ends of which project beyond the sides of theformer, and have loosely hung thereon the latch h, which naturally swings toward the wheel E and in the track of the clntch-pin a. A lever, F, is pivoted by Ilhe side of the Wheel, as shown, and a foot-treadle is `connected with its end by a hooleand-Wire `connection, and a suitable coil or other spring is connected to said wire anda fixed part ofthe machine, whereby the end of lever F is lifted n p an d its upper thin edge is against the inner side of the latch li, as in Fig. 1, holding `the latter away from pin a and stopping thermachine; but when the operator would start the machine he bears upon said foot-trcadle, and continues to do so While he wishes the machine h, and leaving it free to engage `with pin a. Thus it is seen that the shaft?) is always stopped with the pin and the latch in the relative positions shown in Fig. 1, and consequently the devices on shafts b and c, controlling the movements of the needle-bar frame s, invariably leave the needles in the saine position when the machine is stopped.

The elbow-lever e, hung on the cross shaft 32 andengaging With the cam (Z on shaft c, operates the needle and cast-off bars t3 and t through connection therewith by thepitnian j.

The lever r, which operates the parts Qand` 10 on the bnttontrough D, is hung also on said cross-shaft 32,a stud, 33, thereon also engaging in one of the slots in cam d.

The shaft z'J, Fig. 9, has an arm, i, With a stud thereon engaging with a part of cam d., and to the opposite end of said shaft is connected the take-np il. The needle-bar t, carrying the eyed needle, is operated by mech.L anism substantially as described in said Leti ters Patent of rss2. l

What We claim as our invention is` 1. In a machine for sewing shanksbuttonsto i fabrics, the hollow` shaft 13, the piston m, having the nut 22 thereon, the abutment 18, the,

clamp 19, having shank 21, the spring 20, and mechanism, substantially asdescrrbed, for glving said shaft a reciprocating rotary motion and for imparting to said piston a longitudi-, nal reciprocating motion, combined and oper` ating substantially as described.

2. The block 48, pivoted tothe frame ofthe machine, the feedeadj nsting block L14,supported on screw on the needlebar frame s, earn c2,

andmeans, substantially as described, for ro-` tating the latter, combined and operatlng snb- 4, The needles 37 and 38, the presserfoot- 17, the looper 28, having pin 29 thereon, the slottedplate30,shaft1,having arm 27 thereon,

and mechanism, substantially as described, for .l

operating said needles and forimparting a reciprocati ng rotary motion to the shaft y, combined and operating substantially as set forth.

TWALTER EL BENNETT. EDWARD P. MERVIN.`

Vl'ritnesses:

ALICE L; BRUD, i C. A. XVARREN. 

